The Best of Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 30, 1995)
• Original Release Date: May 30, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AZG
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,739 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Gospel Voice of the 20th Century, September 22, 2003

By	Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Born to a poor family in 1911 in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson grew up singing in her father's church--and soaking up the blues and jazz for which that city is so famous in the process. By the late 1920s she was in Chicago, where (according to this CD's liner notes) her distinctly jazz and blues-inflected singing style nearly got her thrown out of the Greater Salem Baptist Church. But Mahalia persevered, and in the early 1950s a series of radio and television broadcasts launched her first to national and then international acclaim. Some thirty years after her death in 1972, she is still considered the single greatest gospel singer America has ever produced.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: nothing short of a remastered box set could possibly do justice to Mahalia Jackson. But if you can only own a single CD of her work, the inexpensive BEST OF MAHALIA JACKSON is probably your best choice, for it collects most of the songs for which she was most famous--and a number of less famous but no less beautiful and powerful selections as well.

As in the other Mahalia Jackson recordings it has been my pleasure to explore, the sound quality here is somewhat problematic. But nothing, absolutely nothing, can undermine Jackson's beautiful tone, amazing power, and incredible control. Whether it's her jump-for-joy rendition of such titles as "God Put A Rainbow In The Sky" or her emotionally draining medley of "Summertime" and "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child," you feel Jackson all the way from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. Her voice rings through you like a great bell, like the voice of the God she worships in every note of every song.

This is the second Mahalia Jackson CD I have reviewed, and I'm fast running out of superlatives. Truly, this is a voice that belongs alongside the great singers of the 20th Century, and I strongly recommend this CD and her work in general.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Gospel album I've ever heard, June 30, 1999

By A Customer

I know almost nothing about gospel music. But music itself has always been an important part of my life. This was the first gospel album I ever purchased and it is one of the best albums I own. Mahalia has such an AMAZING, inspirational voice.Every song on this album is a timeless classic. I like the upbeat 50's style of much of her music. Her slower songs draw you in because Mahalia's voice is such a powerful instrument. I listen to her sing and it puts me in a euphoric mood. I'm not as crazy about her album of hymns, it's a little too heavy-handed for me. If you love music, this album is for you. Mind you, I am not a particularly religious person. I just keep my eyes peeled for the best music that's out there. This album has upbeat songs like "God Put a Rainbow in the Sky," "Didn't it Rain" and "Walk in Jerusalem." It also has songs that mesmerize me, such as "I Will Move On Up a Little Higher" and Gershwin's "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess.A MUST BUY.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Goodness!!!, February 26, 2004

By	R. E. Belfrey "Brother Rick" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My Goodness this is quite a compelation!!! I thank my God for annointing this woman to sing like...like...like, well, I don't even know how to describel her. You can actualy feal what she sings. You can feal the sense of longing and expectation for rest and reward after a life filled with trial and tribulation. You can also feal the joy and serenity I'm sure she had due to the One she loved to sing about most: her life's Love, and mine: Jesus of Nazareth! This cd has wonderful sound quality and a lovely selection of some of her different modes-- from jubilee, to sorrow/longing, to almost classical-slash-jazzy! You won't be dissapointed! May she rest ever in God's peace.